Folding car-step.



G. F. RICE. FOLDING GAE STEP. APPLICATION FILED APR.15,190B.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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G. F. RICE.

FOLDING GAB STEP.

APPLIOATION FILED his, 1908.

908, 1 37, I Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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CLIFFORD F. RICE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING- CAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application filed April 15, 1908. Serial No. 427,264.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD F. Rios, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful lm rovements in Folding Car-Steps, of which t e following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in, or appliances for, open surface or street railway cars of the common kind employing steps or running boards at the opposite sides, adapted to be alternately folded up, or in closely relatively to the sill or lower portion of the car body; and inasmuch as in cars the bodies of which are mounted on comparatively high trucks, more than one step or running board is desirable for the convenience or comfort of passengers, the object of the present invention is to provide double steps or running boards for the side of the car which are so mounted and articulated relatively to the supporting appliance therefor and to each other that they may be stably sustained while in their distended relations when in use at the side of the car, and unusually compactly disposed in folded-up vertical relations when not in use, then having but slight extension outwardly beyond the car body.

The invention comprises double car steps and supporting devices in which the upper step has a pivotal supporting connection with a primary support, such as a bracket secured to the car sill, a link pivoted to an outer portion of the upper step and depending therebelow, the lower step having at the inner ortion thereof a pivotal connection with t e lower or outer end of the link, and means for restraining said steps, when distended and let down in their horizontal dispositions,the arrangement having the capability of being folded by swinging the u per step into a vertical position close y against the side of the car, swinging the link closely against the upper step and swinging 1th? lower step vertically closely against the in r.

The invention furthermore consists in the particular combination or arrangement of parts and the construction of certain of the parts substantially as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

The improved double folding car steps and the supporting means therefor are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation as seen at the ends of the steps, certain parts being shown in vertical section for clearer illustration; Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1; Fi 3 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in the folded-up relations; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the folded-up parts as seen at right angles to Fig. 3 Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are respectively similar views to Figs. 1 to 4, but illustrating a slight modification, the nature and object of which will be hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, A represents the sill at the side bottom portion of the car affixed on which is a sill bracket (1 which constitutes the primary support for the double con nected steps, B representing the upper step or running board, and C representing the lower one.

The upper step has a pivotal supportin connection, represented at b with the sil bracket a, such connection in detail and directly being through the medium of a casting or bracket d which is affixed to the upper step and is to all intents and purposes as one therewith.

The sill bracket is made bifurcated and with a solid or uniting portion at its inner portion to constitute an abutment f to serve as a stop for the extension 9, of the upper car ste inwardly beyond its pivotal support at 2, this extension in practice being a con tinuation of the casting constituting the bracket cl.

D represents a link which is pivotally connected to the outer extremity of the upper step, through the medium of the bracket d a purtenant thereto and to the lower end of tffe said link the lower step C is pivotally connected at the inner portion thereof through the medium of the lower step bracket or casting e appurtenant to such step.

As represented in Figs. 1 and 3, the lower step has an are shaped comparatively long extension h extending from the location of the step inwardly and with a general direction nearly at right angles to the transverse dimensions of the step,the step being outside of the pivot 2' whereby it is hinge connected at the lower end of the link while the said extension is inwardly relatively to said pivot.

When the parts are in their opened out and distended relations for use at the side of the car, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the portion of the lower step extension h has a bearing in relation to, and to be resisted by, the outer end portion of the upper step by the contacting of the said portion against the upper ste bracket near and to the rear of the up er ink pivot 70; and a second and additiona bearing or abutment is afforded by portion of the lower step extension h which engages in a recess m therefor, Fig. 1 in the upper step bracket, inwardly beyond the first mentioned point of bearing, and it will be perceived that the extremity of the part it has a recess a between the bearing points, and in order to better assure positive bearings at the two points, as indicated, for increased stability or stiffness of the opened out jointed structure.

When the steps or foot boards are not required in use at a given side of the car they are folded up in the relation shown in Fig. 3, in which the transverse dimensions of both steps are vertical and parallel and arranged one inside, and the other outside, of the also vertically disposed link.

Of course, the brackets and links will be duplicated or pluralized in amanifest manner at suitable intervals along the length of a car and whether the steps or running boards are made sectional, and several to the length of a car, or each made very long.

In certain locations along the length of the car where elliptic springs comprised in the running gear, or truss rods, would constitute obstructions to the comparatively long are shaped lower step extensions h, such extensions are substituted by much shorter extensions h as represented in Figs. 5 and 7, having their ends of step shape, as shown at 0 and to receive engagement, when the appliances are in their opened out position for use, with a downwardly and forwardly inclined rigid extension b of the car body or sill bracket a appurtenant thereto.

Pairs of the links D constitute supports for a foot board or guard G secured thereto and having their locations, when the device is in use, above and at right angles to the lower step, this foot board, when the parts are folded up, having its disposition vertically closely to and parallel with the steps at either sides thereof.

1 claim:

1. A folding car step comprising in combination with a primary support, a vertical sill bracket secured to said support and having its lower end depending below said support, an upper step, a bracket secured to said upper step and having its rear end projecting beyond the rear side edge of said upper step, said bracket of the upper step being pivoted to said lower end of the sill bracket at a point adjacent the rear side edge of the upper step, an abutment on said sill bracket at the rear of the lower end thereof, the rear end of said upper step bracket being formed with a cut-out portion to receive and engage said abutment, a lower step, a link pivoted to said upper step bracket and to said lower step and bracing means for the lower step secured at one end to the latter and interposed between said lower step and the upper step.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a primary support, of an upper step having a pivotal supporting connection with such support and having an extension inwardly beyond the pivot for engagement with the support to constitute a step whereby such step may be swung from its vertical to, but not beyond, a horizontal position, a link pivotally con nected to the outer portion of said step, a lower step pivotally connected at its inner portion to the lower outer end of said link and having inwardly beyond its pivotal point, an arc-shaped arm, the free extremity of which has a stop constituting engagement with the upper step.

3. A folding car step comprising in combination with a primary support, an upper step pivoted to said support, a lower step, a link pivoted to said steps, and bracing means including a part rigidly connected to the rear end of the lower step and receiving support from the rear end of the upper step.

4. A folding car step comprising in combination with a prima y support, an upper step pivoted to said support, a lower step, a link pivoted to said steps, an arceshaped arm rigidly connected to said lower step and extending upwardly on the rear side of the link, and at an incline thereto, and a seat for the upper end of said arm formed in the under side portion of the upper step. 7

5. A folding car step comprising in combination with a primary support, an upper step pivoted to said support, a lower step, a

link pivoted to each step, and an arm rigidly carried by the lower step and extending rearwa: dly therefrom at an incline to receive support from the upper step, said arm when said steps are in folded position extending to the rear thereof.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass, in

presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLIFFORD F. RICE.

Witnesses:

WM. S. Barrows, G. R. DRISCOLL. 

